Chapter 10: Homecoming

The sound of the slap reverberated in the small room and all eyes were immediately on him.

"Ronald Weasley! How dare you!"

His mother's anger had acquired that dangerously high pitch beyond which she would be almost inaudible, but from experience, Ron knew, all the more frightening for it. He lowered his eyes, his knees hurting and scraping against the wooden floor, and resisted the urge to run his hand over his smarting cheek which was surely displaying her handprint now.

His mother continued to glare at him, rendered speechless with fury by the looks of it, and breathing so deeply through her nose that it made her entire body shake. Ron wished his father was present too, not because he would help cool his mother down, but because Ron would at least be done with his confessions.

"I am so ashamed of you!" she snapped after a while, and he met her eyes and nodded slightly to indicate his understood and was apologetic. Too angry to perhaps even look at him, she huffed and left the chair she had been occupying to move away before wheeling back at him again.

"You got that girl pregnant and did not even have the decency to man up all these months?!" He heard a small disappointed murmur behind them before his sister took pity on him.

"Mum," began Ginny but was stopped short before she could speak any further. At least, his sister tried.

"I'm sorry," he exhaled as he stood up too, standing a little away, head hanging.

He hoped his mother knew him enough to understand that he was really sorry, especially after seeing Hermione in that state a while ago. He didn't like to think that he was the cause of her pain, but he was.

Drawing his eyes to his mother, he allowed her to see him, see the plea if she would. It was no longer about him but her.

"I-" she began once more and he wasn't sure if the softening of her eyes was even real when Lily Potter called her urgently from the landing.

"Molly, you better come upstairs, quick. Ginny, you too."

He was almost halfway up the steps when he was stopped by none other than the Weasley matriarch herself.

"Where do you think you are going?" she snapped, huffing as she pushed him aside to climb up.

"To her," he responded promptly. His mum could be angry all she wanted, but nothing, not even her temper could stop him from seeing Hermione.

"You've done enough, Ron!" she glared and for once he glared right back.

"I have to see her, Mum!" he declared and his mother paused, ready for another rebuke when Ginny gently grabbed his wrist.

"Mum, just go," she said before turning towards him. As the woman clambered upstairs quickly, he huffed at his sister and jerked his hand away, making to follow behind her. But Ginny blocked his path again.

"Gin. Move," he hissed, hanging onto the last strands of his control but she shook her head in negative and surprising him completely, rubbed his shoulders in a pacifying manner as her eyes met his in understanding.

"I know you are worried, Ron, but this will not help Hermione," she said softly.

"I need to see her," he pleaded hoping at least his sister would understand.

"I know," she replied earnestly, rubbing his knuckles gently with her hand, "And I promise, I'll talk to Mum, but you know Madame Pomfrey is checking her now. Everyone is worried-" she trailed off, glancing back in the direction of the room and sighed tiredly before meeting his eyes again.

"Will you be there?" he begged. "With her?"

"Yes, I will," she promised and patted his hand before hurrying upstairs.

Standing in the middle of the staircase, Ron rubbed his tired eyes before gripping his hair in frustration. This was not supposed to be like this.

"Come on, mate."

He realised that he had not even registered Harry standing next to him all this time. As he reached the foot of the stairs, he took in all the faces huddled in the small living space in Fred and George's small Hogsmeade cottage. Ignoring their questioning glances, he turned away to take his place on the dining table, pouring himself a cup of tea from the kettle that was still sitting on the stove. He took a sip, hoping the hot liquid would sooth his nerves a little.

This was not supposed to be like this.

She had been looking forward to this small break. She was nervous but happy that the Weasleys, the Potters, the Lupins and even Sirius had planned to have dinner together at Hogsmeade so that she could attend it without having to travel too much in her state. The small two-storied cottage had been bought by the twins not too long ago for their parents, and Molly had suggested inaugurating their new home during Easter.

Hermione had convinced Ron that they would tell his parents the truth during this break. They deserved to know, she had said, and he had agreed, obviously. He would have told them back in March itself if she had not insisted on telling them in person. He would have gladly announced in the Great Hall that he was the father of her unborn child if she had allowed him to. But she didn't, said they were not answerable to anyone except the family, and that everyone would eventually get to know anyway. And announcing would only increase gossip. But the word had spread nonetheless, in ways only possible in school corridors and classrooms. Harry said it was the way they looked at each other, Ginny declared Careen had been the source (to revenge the permanent acne that had sprung up on her face to spell 'liar') but whatever be the case, the halls were once again filled with murmurs of Hermione's name, this time entwined with his.

Ron never kissed her in public, or even when they were just by themselves. The physical aspect of their relationship was in quite an awkward stage, to be honest. The only intimate moment they had shared seemed a lifetime ago now, and if it had not been for her heavily pregnant form, his brain would have made him believe that it was one of his most memorable dreams.

However, he did hold her hand as they walked, and draped an arm around her when she was tired. And it wasn't just that. He did all he could be there for her, with her.

Within a few days of their resolution, he had begun to hear murmurs in the corridors and in the classes. Some students declared that they always knew the baby was his, some were surprised. Even the news of his temporary amnesia which had been treated as nothing more than a joke back in September was brought into the discussions. Some seem to believe, some others, like the Slytherins, said it was all a facade and that Ron was just acting all noble now and owning responsibility for a baby that was not even his. Malfoy and his gang did not use the word 'noble', they said 'pathetic'. He wanted to beat each one of them into a pulp and would have done so if not for Hermione.

He glanced upstairs and contemplated trying to get a glimpse of her once again, and then he drank some more tea to get a grip on his jittery nerves.

...

One hour ago

When the four of them arrived a couple of hours post lunch, the Potters were already there and so were Bill, Fleur and Torrie. Percy and Audrey, his girlfriend, had arrived not too long ago. His father, the Lupins and Sirius were on the way, they were told, and the twins were to arrive after they closed shop.

All was fine. Greetings and hugs were exchanged, and then, Hermione needed to go to the loo. She had trudged up the steps and he had followed just a step behind to ensure he could hold her if need be. Once upstairs, she had looked uncomfortable.

"Anything wrong?" he asked, worried, and she placed a hand on her swollen abdomen and smiled, albeit a little tiredly.

"Just a little queasy, nothing to bother," she told him before walking into the loo as he placed her small bag in one of the two bedrooms. She opened the bathroom door just a smidge not a moment later.

"Ron, will you please call, Ginny?" she asked looking particularly disturbed. Barely holding back the urge to push open the door to see for himself, he yelled for his sister and waited with mounting anxiety as Ginny rushed up the steps and entered the small room, shutting the door behind her. Again, she poked her head out in no time, looking very pale.

"Ron! Call Mum, and Harry's mum too," she instructed through the door and, "Hurry, Ron!" she barked when he took a moment too long to respond.

He practically flew down the steps. The ladies, who were busy setting up the table while enjoying the chat, had dropped everything and rushed upstairs. Ron had too and Harry had followed behind. He had almost fainted out of shock when they levitated Hermione's writhing form out of the bathroom onto a stretcher and into the room.

"What is happening?!" he barked trying to force into the room which, to his immense displeasure, he found locked from inside, all the while struggling to rid himself of Harry's grip.

"One of you get Madame Pomfrey, now!" Lily Potter instructed furiously as she came out a minute later and gave some rapid directions to Ginny who went flying down the steps and passed on the message to Fleur. His eldest sister-in-law passed Torrie to Audrey and disappeared with a pop. The boys who had followed Ginny stood at the foot of the staircase, totally baffled and extremely worried till Ginny shoved them aside on her way upstairs before coming back once again. A loud pop sounded and Fleur appeared at the foot of the staircase holding, what seemed to be a large pile of freshly laundered linen. She rushed upstairs without a backwards glance.

"What is happening?" he bellowed as the rest of them inquired the same from Ginny.

"Hermione has gone into labour," she declared, gulping hard and pulling out Merlin knew what from the recently stocked kitchen. Her announcement was met with gasps and mutterings that made no sense to him.

"Hermione has gone where?" he asked incredulously and Ginny paused to give him a very exasperated look.

"She has gone into labour, Ron!" she replied again, and apparently noticing his blank look, threw her hand up in frustration, "The baby is coming, you idiot!"

And he felt like an idiot all right. How could the baby be coming so soon? It was only the 12th of April; Hermione said the date was 9th of May!

"But this is way too early!" he yelled at his sister who was already halfway upstairs once again.

"Tell your baby that when she arrives!" she yelled back. "And fetch Madame Pomfrey, someone!

He turned towards the grate to Floo out only to find the school nurse scrambling out herself, extremely worried. She was followed by Bill who was holding an enormous medical box. He felt terribly foolish and useless. Hermione was having his baby and all he was doing was standing in the middle of the kitchen, trying his best to find his bearings.

...

Ron took another sip, momentarily surprised to find the cup empty. The only sounds were soft murmurs coming from the living area next to the kitchen cum dining room where he sat. He could hear Harry's voice, perhaps his best friend was filling his brothers on the happenings, he didn't know. And he didn't care either. He ignored the sound of the front door opening, keeping his ears trained on any noise from the floor above; all was unnaturally silent. He could only hope she was fine.

The scraping of a chair broke his musings and he looked up and then scrambled up the chair hurriedly as his father's grim face came into view.

"Sit, Ronnie," he exhaled tiredly, and Ron occupied his chair once more, craving for a hot cup of tea that he could wrap his fingers around.

"I'm sorry," he managed, not quite sure he wanted to see the disappointment in those eyes. He almost craved for his father to react the way his mum had, anything was better than this silence.

"Dad-"

"I'm sure you have an explanation for keeping us in dark for so long,"

"Yes, I-I do, Dad,"

He glanced up once to see that his father was waiting, at least giving him a chance to explain. He glanced once more at the staircase and began.

...

"Mrs Weasley!" Hermione gasped as the intensity of the contraction increased. She couldn't believe that the mild discomfort from an hour ago had already turned into an aching pain, like having a horrible toothache.

"Try to relax, Hermione, the next few hours will be demanding," instructed Lily Potter.

She kept breathing deeply as the nurse had instructed but kept her eyes on the plump woman who was busy arranging the room that would soon be the place where she would have her baby.

"Molly, please?" she called again, and this time, the elderly witch sighed and took her space next to the bed, holding her hand in hers.

"Please don't be angry," she beseeched, closing her eyes for a moment to bite back the pain. It was getting stronger.

Molly shook her head sadly, apparently still lost for words. Hermione was glad that she had at least stopped grumbling angrily about Ron and how disgusted she was with him. She had tried to explain but the baby had been twisting painfully inside her at that moment making the task absolutely impossible. She was barely holding back her screams, getting through the painful jolts by gripping Ginny's hands tightly. It was hard to say how long she would be able to do it, though.

"We owe you an explanation," she said when she could manage. Molly didn't respond and Hermione took the opportunity to tell her everything the best she could, of course glossing over the details. She was Ron's mum after all.

"He was drugged?" she asked finally and Hermione was glad when Ginny took over telling her how it was an accident, and how he had got back his memories only a couple of months back.

Any response from Molly was cut short as one mighty contraction gripped her, and this time, Hermione couldn't hold back her scream.

...

As Hermione's cries reached them, Ron rushed out of his seat, white as a sheet. Before he could reach the stairs, however, Fleur appeared in the kitchen with a loud pop and flipped through the pantry, retrieved something and disappeared again. He groaned aloud and took the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"OPEN THE FU-"

The door opened before he finished his expletive and Lily Potter, looking worse than he had ever seen her, appeared.

"Ron, please go downstairs," she urged firmly.

"I WON'T TILL YOU LET ME SEE HER!" he cried jerking his hand away from Bill's grip.

"Take him downstairs," Lily instructed his brother.

"How's Hermione?" Bill asked.

"The baby hasn't turned and her contractions are getting stronger. She won't be able to deliver if the baby is not in a correct position. Poppy is waiting for the right time to cast the position correcting spell but," she sighed, "it'll be very painful for Hermione. And the baby is a little before time too."

"Take him downstairs," she said again indicating Ron.

Ron could have collapsed and sobbed on the floor. He had never heard Hermione scream that way and it seemed the worst was not yet over.

"Ron," called Lily kindly, "She'll be fine. Trust us. You are not helping by being so restless. Hermione is getting very anxious with you yelling like this. She needs to relax, okay?"

He nodded and pushing Bill out of the way, dragged himself down the steps to collapse on the couch. Harry sat next to him looking very sick and his Dad patted his knee. Hermione's screams echoed louder twice more before the room was Silenced.

...

Ron was sure the next ten hours were his worst ever. The women came down one at a time. Ginny looked dreadful and the dinner was silent with the anxiety palpable in the air. Lupin and Tonks carried away three-year-old Teddy who was getting very restless, and Sirius and James went back after dinner. Bill took Torrie home while Fleur stayed back. Percy left for his flat as the space in the cottage was far too less for so many but Audrey remained, helping with the dinner and then conjuring sleeping bags on the floor for the rest. The ladies took time off one at a time in the other bedroom. Ron found Harry dozing off in an odd angle on the chair, his father was on the couch, sleeping with his glasses still on. The twins had collapsed on the sleeping bags and snoring softly, but sleep was nowhere in sight for him.

Around two in the morning the house was rustled awake.

"The baby is coming!" announced Audrey before rushing upstairs.

...

"Ron?" called Ginny from upstairs and he rushed without looking back.

The door was finally open and he walked in slowly as if in a daze. His eyes sought her first. Hermione was lying on the bed, covered till her chest in a clean sheet, her hair a mess and eyes exhausted but looking more beautiful than he had ever seen her. She smiled at him, her cheeks blushing and he took swift strides to be next to her and wrapped her in his arms, breathing as if for the first time in a long while.

"Careful, she is still too weak."

He looked up to see his mother, her eyes glistening as she placed a small bundle in Hermione's arms. And he watched dumbstruck as she let out a tiny sob and pulled the cloth off the bundle's face.

A small face appeared. Orange hair that looked as soft as cotton candy and blue eyes looked up at him. She looked nothing like the chubby babies, was way too tiny and looked extremely fragile, but Ron realised he was hopelessly in love.

"She looks just like Ron did when he was born." The two of them looked up to find teary but beaming Molly Weasley; she never took her eyes off her grandchild.

"Does this mean Ron is off the hook?" chuckled Harry and grinned from ear to ear as their eyes met.

"No," replied Molly sternly but without the anger from before.

Hours later, Ron sat next to Hermione and watched the little one sleeping peacefully in a cot that was brought down from Bill's.

"Ten minutes, Ron and you must leave," announced Molly from the next room and Hermione chuckled. Ron shook his head exasperatedly before taking her hand in his. She was resting against him, her hand held in his.

He had so much to say but had no clue where to begin. "I love you," he murmured bringing her fingers to his lips and touching them tenderly.

"I love you too, Ron," she whispered.

"Thank you," he told her, "She is beautiful..." he whispered, still awestruck at the small human sleeping peacefully in the cot.

She laughed, the sound bringing a smile to his lips. "Because she looks like you?" she asked.

"Yeah, that that too," he grinned before lowering his voice. "Because, you brought her into this world, despite everything."

He watched her, love pouring out of her very being and realised he was insane about this girl. Inching his face close to hers, he gently touched his lips to hers as his hand wrapped around her and pull her close. There was a sharp intake of breath and he released her immediately, ready to call help.

She forced a smile, but he could see she was still hurting.

"I'll be okay," she managed, trying her best to sound casual and he pulled her to him, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder, running his fingers gently over her knuckles.

"How will we manage, Ron?" she asked after a long time; he had assumed she had dozed off.

"Mum and Dad will stay here for a while, till our N.E. W. Ts get over," he told her, she nodded and he could feel her tense.

"And after that, well learn to manage. We'll be okay, I promise."

"It will be hard, Ron."

"I know, but we'll manage, I promise."

"Where will we stay?"

"Here. Fred and George owe us that much,"

"But-"

"No buts, they told me themselves. And we'll work out something to pay them back."

"And your parents? They got this place for them..."

"Mum and Dad will not move out of the Burrow. This place was supposed to be for the holidays only."

"Ron?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I'm scared."

He sighed. "Me too..." he confessed.

"What have you decided to name her?" he asked after a while.

The answer was cut short by a sharp cry from the cot and his mother appeared so fast that Ron was sure she Apparated. She picked up the little one from the cot, cooing softly and handed Hermione the baby.

"She's hungry," she announced, voice dripping with adoration till she turned at her youngest son. "Ron, out!" she announced and he picked himself off the bed quickly.

"By the way, what have you decided to name her, dear?" he heard his mother ask when he was almost at the door. He turned around just in time to find Hermione meet his eyes. She ran her finger over the small crystal roses hanging on the thin chain around her neck.

"Rose," she replied smiling at him.

Fin

A/N: This brings us to the end of this story. As promised, I will write a short sequel for this which will show how they move from being teenage parents to an actual couple. I hope you have enjoyed this story, and thank you to all of you who have spared the time to drop me a line and/or added this to your alerts/favourites.

I look forward to hearing your opinions about this now that it is complete. Stay tuned for more stories coming your way.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading 3